Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printer-friendly)
Tender tortellini with crisp vegetables in zesty Italian dressing
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz fresh cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
→ Cheese & Herbs
07 - 1/3 cup fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice the cucumber and red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice the red onion. Slice the black olives. Halve the mozzarella balls. Combine all prepared vegetables, olives, and mozzarella in the bowl with cooled tortellini.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over salad mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over top and lightly toss again. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours for flavors to meld.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing soaks into the tortellini as it sits, making every bite more flavorful than the last
- It comes together in under 25 minutes but tastes like you spent way more effort on it
02 -
- Rinse the cooked tortellini thoroughly under cold water or the residual heat will wilt the fresh vegetables
- This salad actually tastes better after sitting for 30 minutes to an hour as the flavors meld together
03 -
- Buy the tortellini from the refrigerated section rather than the dry pasta aisle for the best texture
- Use a Microplane or fine grater for the Parmesan so it practically melts into the salad